My Not So Super Hero Aaron Stone
by ShhSleepy
Summary: Aaron Stone and Charlie Landers have alway been one in the same, but Charlie has made it his job to keep a line between them for the sake of those he cared about. He never dreamed the line would be crossed-till now.
1. Just Another Sleepless Night

**I thought I would stick to one shots but changed my mind. I do that alot. So here's the first real four...maybe five or six or seven+ part story of mine. **

**_Reveiw please_ and enjoy!**

Disclaimer-I know we all want to own the amazing Aaron Stone and his even more amazing little brother but we can't always get what we want. Like many others, I do not own these characters. =(

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1

It was Aaron Stone's job to save the world. That was what he had been told from the very beginning when he surpassed the said to be unbeatable game Hero Rising. He was special, not like another player on the planet, in this game though, he didn't get an unlimited supply of lives to use. In this game, he was a player and he didn't always hold the cards. He didn't have any cheat codes in this game. There was no way to pause if he needed a break or restart if he made the wrong move. This was real life and in this game, Aaron Stone sometime came dangerously close to crossing the line to Charlie Landers waiting for him to return on the other side.

"Aaron? Aaron, are you in?" came Stan's voice over the receiver in his ear.

Charlie groaned from where he was on the other line. He was exhausted. He didn't remember how he had even gotten _in_, wherever _in_ was. But he was here now. The building was large and dark, a rustic feeling coming over it. It was very much unlike all the other high tech facilities he had come in contact with during his time as an agent. This place reeked of dust and debris. The water damage done to the walls and floors gave it a swamp like aura and the slippery molded stones under his feet as he stepped through the doorway made him have to double check to make sure he was actually indoors and not still standing outside.

"Yeah, I'm in. Stan where is this place?"

Charlie didn't get any answer from the bot and he arched an eyebrow as he stood up straight. There was nothing in the warehouse he had walked into. He didn't understand why he had been sent here in the first place. "Stan, what's going on? There isn't anything he-"

The door slammed shut behind him and Aaron jumped, spinning and hitting against it in the dark. Despite the water damage and age, it was still solid and held firm like it was plated with steel. He kicked a foot against it and it didn't budge. "Stan? Stan are you still there? Answer me, the doors shut." Even as he spoke, the windows to the warehouse sealed as well, the light seeping from them disappearing like someone had flicked off the sun with a light switch. He blinked quick to try to get through the darkness but he was completely blinded. Panic began to rise in him as he heard a scream fill the warehouse.

"Emma?" He called. He followed the sound of her voice. She sounded so close. He had to get to her. She was in trouble. "Em?!"

He turned a corner to see her flat on the ground, face in the wood floor, completely unmoved. A red light shone brightly throughout the thin hall and standing behind her was a single large shadow. "What have you done to her!?" Charlie shouted, taking a step to Emma's side. He reached towards her but it seemed no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get close enough to reach her. He took another step and saw distantly through the darkness that it was not one large figure standing at the end of the hall but two smaller ones.

"Charlie?"

The voice had him frozen with the same fear that echoed when his brother said his name. "Jase? What are you doing here?"

"He's here, because you are here." The second shadow said. Charlie blinked and realized for the first time why his brother sounded so afraid. In the red lights, Charlie could see the flash of a blade held against the soft exposed flesh of his brother's throat.

"Wait. What's going on? Let my brother go! He's got nothing to do with this!"

"Quite the contrary, Aaron. Hear the urgency in your voice? It sounds to me that little Jason has _everything_ to do with this. You see, I want Aaron Stone to break, and it seems as though I have been going about this the wrong way from the beginning. If I want the great hero Aaron Stone to lose, then I must let him taste the salt of loss on his own tongue."

Charlie made a move forwards but wasn't quick enough as the man slid the blade across his brother's neck, cutting off his strangled cry. "Charl-"

His brother's legs folded underneath him and his body hit the ground, a black puddle spreading underneath him as Charlie's breath caught in his throat.

"And this…" the man continued harshly with a voice full of amusement as he turned Jason's head sideways with the toe of his boot, showing Aaron his brother's wide blue eyes, frozen permanently in death with the same fear he had felt in life. "…is how loss feels. The end of Aaron Stone."

Charlie let out a yell of agony as he propelled himself forward over the bodies of his friend and his brother. He didn't care how strong this man was. He didn't care if he wasn't prepared. All he knew was that his brother was dead and he was not going to let him go without his revenge. "I'm gonna kill you! I swear I will! I'm gonna kill you!" Charlie shouted as he landed on top of the man, raising his fists to end him forever.

"Are you really, Aaron?"

Charlie blinked at the man underneath him and let out a horrified gasp as he saw-

"Hey! What the hell, man?"

Charlie shot up out of bed to see his brother sprawled on the floor beside him. Jason was looking at him like he was crazy and he half felt that same way. He was soaked in his own sweat, panting for breath that wouldn't come as he blinked at his baby brother who was just beginning to pull himself to his feet.

"What happened?" Charlie asked, still winded.

"You were having a freak of a nightmare, dude." Jason said, sounding a little more than annoyed as he rubbed his jaw. "Jeeze, that's the last time I try to wake you up. Next time I'm just gonna let you do it yourself. Man, you hit _hard_." He complained.

In the darkness, Charlie watched his brother touch his lip gingerly and come away with a dot of blood. "Aw man, if this swells up in the morning…" He left the threat hanging there one- because he couldn't think of anything to say and two- because he knew Charlie was bigger and stronger and could probably get out of whatever it was Jason was going to promise.

"Man, what were you even dreaming? You kept talking. Couldn't figure out what you were grumbling though."

Charlie rubbed a hand over his face, not wanting to explain. He hated keeping things from his brother but it was better this way. Jason couldn't know or he would be in danger. That was just the way things were. "Nothing. Nothing really. Just stuff."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Whatever, bro. I gotta go _ice my face_. You can fight your own dream zombies."

Charlie waited till his brother had gone before he lay back down and pressed his palms over his eyes. He had had this dream a million times in a million different ways. In the end it was always the same. Jason dies. Jason is killed. Jason is hurt and it's all because of damn Aaron Stone. Some super hero. He couldn't even protect his own little brother in his own nightmares. He knew it was just a dream but he was sick of watching his brother die, but he would take watching it a thousand times in the dream world than just once in the real world any day.


	2. White Lies

**Alright people here's part 2. I've already written parts 3-5 as well but i've gotta go through and edit them. They'll be up later though so for now here you go.^^ **

**Enjoy and _Please reveiw!_**

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2

Charlie got up the next morning feeling just about as good as he had when he had socked his little brother in his sleep. His head was killing and he wanted nothing more than to roll over and just sleep forever. It was already nearly noon though and he had promised to meet up with some friends to study for next week's Psychology test. It looked like sleep and Hero Rising as well would need to wait.

It was hard walking past the game console without so much as thinking about when he would next be able to play but he managed and let his feet carry him down the stairs to the kitchen. Jason was already there and by the way he was drinking straight from the milk carton the way mom always told him not to, Charlie knew he was feeling much better. That made one of them.

Charlie was still feeling sick to his stomach about last night's dream. All that blood. For a moment as he looked at his brother that was all he could see. He was a white face and lifeless eyes staring at a world he would never see again. Charlie's knees trembled and he steadied himself on the counter before he took a breath and forced a smile.

"Hey, get your germs out of the family milk." Charlie said as he came up behind his brother and took the milk carton away; closing the flap and setting it back in the fridge. "Would it kill you to walk a few feet and get a cup from the cupboard?"

"Maybe." Jason said with a shrug. Charlie saw his lip looked alright. There was the smallest cut there but It was hardly noticeable. "Hey, so mom left early today. Out of town for the weekend, right?"

"No parties." Charlie said without skipping a beat, fishing through the fridge for something to eat and settling on the bagels. He took one out and set it in the toaster oven to thaw.

"What? Dude, why do you always assume I'm up to no good?" Jason said sharply, crossing his arms and arching his eyebrows in mock hurt.

Charlie rolled his eyes at him, elbowing him playfully. "Uh, 'cause you usually are."

Jason went to defend himself but decided against it, shrugging it off and going on. Charlie was right anyways. "What I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted- did you wanna order a pizza or something and play some Hero Rising? I just saw this new code online yesterday that I wanted to try. It's on level twelve there's a hallway in the hospital near the end of the level and there's supposed to be a-"

"-power boost in the third room under the bed. Yeah, that's totally fake. I've checked." Charlie said with a shrug as he took his bagel out of the oven and set it on the counter quickly after it burned his fingers. Sometimes his brother forgot that he had mastered the game already.

"Oh, well yeah. I thought so. I mean it's not even that important." Jason said dully as he slid onto a stool by the counter. Charlie could see the slight fall of his face though, clearly a little tread on. Charlie felt a little bad for doing that to him. He had really thought for a second that he had something to teach Charlie instead of the other way around. "But hey, we can still play though, right?" He asked, hope creeping back into his voice.

Charlie frowned, not wanting to let Jase down with his already filled schedule. "Nah, man I can't. I'm heading over to the library to study with some of the guys."

"All day?" Jase asked doubtfully, voice taking on a slight whining sound he got when he was upset. "Not even a teacher could study all day, man. That's like, more than twelve hours. Seriously, when'll you be back?"

"Well I'm going to meet Stan after. We've got some…errands." Charlie went on, trying to get past without his brother asking too many questions. He didn't want to lie but he would if he had to.

Jase scowled at Charlie's attempts. "So you're telling me you can't spend any time with me playing _our_ _favorite_ video game and eating _your favorite_ food because you have to study for some dumb test and run errands with an old guy…" He stood back up, facing his older brother with a look of complete irritation and slight hidden hurt. "Dude, if you don't want to hang out with me then just go ahead and say so."

"Jason."

"Forget it." His brother stormed from the room and headed up the stairs to mope on his own for a while. Charlie knew once he left Jase would probably creep out and sneak a few games of Hero Rising. After all, there was no use being angry and depressed if no one else was there to feel bad about it.

Still, Charlie groaned from where he was in the kitchen. He knew being Aaron Stone was for the greater good, saving the world, helping innocent people kind of deal, but sometimes it felt like his own life would be better without the extra weight.

He sighed as he grabbed his books off a table, calling up the stairs to keep the doors locked and not do anything dumb. Jason didn't reply with more than a grunt and Charlie knew he was still angry. He shook his head and took off for the library on his bike. He would talk to Jason tonight. His brother forgave easily enough. He probably would have forgotten all about being upset by mid afternoon.

Charlie had a little trouble focusing on his work when he was trying to study and ended up leaving early to meet Stan. He wasn't getting anything done in the first place. Every time he closed his eyes his dreams hit him full force and he was getting jumpier by the second till he had had enough.

As if on cue, Stan was already waiting for him outside and knew right away that something was up with Charlie. He tilted his head at him, wide curious eyes taking him in and examining him. Sometimes Charlie felt like Stan could see right through to his thoughts. Just to be sure, he cleared his head to give the robot nothing to work with.

"Another nightmare, Charlie?" Stan asked as he tilted his head the opposite way like clockwork.

Charlie's attempts to avoid the question failed and he let out a defeated sigh. "Yeah." Charlie said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Same one as always."

Stan stopped and looked sideways at him curiously. "But?" He asked, already knowing that wasn't the end of Charlie's troubles.

"But nothing." Charlie shrugged off the prod for more.

"No, what is it? Maybe I can help." Stan insisted. "That is my job, you know. I am here for service."

Charlie watched Stan for a moment. He really was not going to leave him alone was he? He nearly shouted that if he wanted to help so badly that he should just shut up and stop asking so many questions but knew Stan hadn't done anything wrong. He was just getting angry for no reason. "It was me this time. I was the one who killed him last night." Charlie's voice cracked slightly as he said it and he awkwardly turned his eyes away. Stan was a robot. Did he even notice the emotions catching in Charlie's eyes? Charlie prayed not.

Stan had no words at first to console him and merely nodded as the information processed in his head. After a short silence he came up with a few short words that Charlie had heard a trillion different times during a trillion different scenarios. "No one ever said it would be easy to save the world, Charlie. But despite all this you handle things incredibly well. These dreams are just the product of a little too much stress. They will go away…eventually…or maybe not, actually."

Charlie snorted and rolled his eyes. "Gee thanks. That makes me feel a ton better." The sarcasm dripped off every word as he grabbed his bike. "Stan you know, I think I'm just gonna head home. I'm not really in the mood for all this right now."

"But Charlie we have a lot of work to do, so much to be done and so little time. Mr. Hall called while you were studying. It seems Chronis is up to something. He didn't tell me all the details but it seems there is a new poison that has been created and-"

"I know Stan. I get it, but sometimes I need a break, alright? How do you expect me to do anything when I can't even function on my own feet? Just cut me some slack for once."

Charlie was on his bike before Stan could argue anymore and speeding towards home. He knew he was being childish. He wasn't busy or overtired, he just didn't feel like doing anything right that moment. He only wanted to be back at home eating chips and playing video games on the couch like any normal teenager. Was that so much to ask? He just wanted some time to clear his mind with his brother. He didn't need Chronis or Mr. Hall or anyone. He just wanted time to relax with his brother and _not_ save the world.

He couldn't wait to see Jason's face when he came home early. He'd be so psyched. Maybe they could get in a game or two before Charlie turned in for the day. He turned the corner onto their block and knew right away that something was wrong. Jason was home alone and the front door was wide open.

Not only open though, but hanging off its hinges.

"Oh no. _Jason_."

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_haha. Ooo look a cliffy.^^ Other chapies up soon so stay tuned. and thank you very much for reading._


	3. If I Had Walked a Little Faster

**Alright you guys, here's the next part to the story. Thank you so much for those of you who take the time to review. I highly appreciate every word. I really do and good news. I'm really into this storyline right now so part 4 will probably be up later on today in the afternoon.**

**For now, please enjoy part 3 and _please reveiw_!** ^^

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3

Charlie's breath caught in his throat as he skid off his bike and dropped it in the front yard, hitting the ground in a run and pushing his way through what was left of the front door to the house. He wasn't sure what was going on but his entire mind was on Jason. If he was hurt…

"Jason?" He called as he passed into the living room on the other side of the door. If he hadn't known he had walked into the right home, he wouldn't have been able to recognize the room. Everything was completely destroyed. The tables overturned. The coffee table shattered and the books scattered across the room in tattered pieces. "Jason?!" He called louder, more desperate. Whoever had done all this meant business. They weren't joking around.

He had trouble finding a place to step that wasn't covered in debris and wreckage from the room. He was careful not to roll his ankle. That was the last thing he needed right now was to hurt himself while searching for his brother. Or at least what was left of his brother.

Maybe he had left. Charlie prayed that maybe Jason hadn't listened to him this morning when he told him to stay put and lock the doors. Maybe he had gone out and wasn't home when all this happened. A groan from upstairs had him set on edge though and all hope evaporated into the air and floated up to the sky where he couldn't reach it or even see it for that matter.

_Jason._

"Jason!" He took the stairs two at a time all the way up to his room. The second floor was very much the same way as the downstairs had looked. It was as if an explosion had happened right in the house. Charlie could imagine the men storming through the hallways, turning things over and tearing things down. He could see them bursting down the door to Charlie's room, finding Jason standing completely bewildered holding the Hero Rising controller. He could see them that very moment raising their guns, laughing at his confusion and fear as they ended a life with a single bullet. Years of laughter and memories destroyed all because of Aaron Stone's existence.

Charlie blinked himself out of his daydream. There was no time to assume the worst. Jason was still lost somewhere in the mess. There was still time to rescue him. He needed to find his baby brother. He needed to find Jason. If he was hurt. If he was even still alive. Charlie wanted to find him but at the same time was dreading the moment.

His bedroom had it the worst. His bed was torn like some sort of ragged wild beast had tried to turn it inside out and the boards lay across everything, heavy beams that had fallen from the ceiling lay across where his carpet was no longer visible and the fan that usually hung over the bed had decided to join the floor with it. The wall between his room and the bathroom was blown out and his dresser open and still smoldering from when its contents had been burned. Still smoldering with heat from a laser. Charlie realized with bitter anger that he had been only moments late in catching the culprits at the crime. If he had perhaps ridden his bike a little bit faster or closed his psychology book that much quicker, he might have been able to stop this and save his brother this pain.

Through the wreckage, he noticed through the fog in his mind that his TV was still intact and on it flashed the title screen to Her Rising. Charlie couldn't bear to look at the game and yanked the chord from the wall bitterly as the picture went black.

His foot bumped something soft and limp and he glanced down to see a hand poking out from under a large section of what looked like part of the wall between Charlie's room and the bathroom. Glass shards and papers lay over this, burying who he dreaded was his brother underneath. He felt vomit rise in his throat but kept it down. Jason was under there. So still and unmoving. If he was dead.

_Oh God if he's dead._

"No." He went down on his knees next to the rubble, tugging on the boards and debris that buried the boy. His hands worked with a fury, shaking entirely with all of his being as he scrambled through the debris lifting piece after piece off of him. His palms were slashed and blistered by the time he managed to uncover nearly Jason's entire upper body, panic hitting him like a freight train at the stillness of his baby brother and the paleness of his skin. There was no blood though. None visible to his eyes. He was just so white. He was just so still and unlike any living thing. Barely human how calm he was. Charlie's heart dropped into his gut.

"No. No. No. No. No. Jason. Hey, Jase. Hey. Wake up. Come on Jay, this isn't funny."

Very carefully, Charlie ran unsteady fingers over his brother's brow and down to the little spot on his neck where a heart beat was supposed to be. He leaned down close, listening for breath against his lips. It was so faint. Barely there at all. His brother had not left him but he was not completely with him either, like he had decided to play hide and seek in a place where he would never be found.

Very gently, Charlie felt his brother's neck to make sure it wasn't broken before shifting his head ever so slightly upright. His hands fumbled nervously like he was handling a piece of very fine china that might burst in his hands if handled too roughly. Then again, it was nothing like this, because fine china could be replaced and Jason's life was something completely unique and invaluable.

Charlie heard Stan enter the house downstairs and call his name but ignored him as his brother gave a rattling cough that shook his entire body. "Charlie? Ah, what's going on?" He grumbled hoarsely. His voice strained and filled with agony.

Charlie squeezed his exposed hand, the other still half buried under what seemed to be the skeleton to his bed. "Hey, shh. Don't try to talk. I'm gonna get you out of this." His voice cracked slightly in his assurance and he wondered if he was telling his brother not to worry or just reminding himself. "Just hang in there."

He gave a tug to the wood still pinning his brother from the waist down. It was heavier than he thought and he could barely move it an inch, much less off of his brother trapped underneath. Jason arched his back and coughed when he moved the board and Charlie felt a tear dot the corner of his eyes.

"Charlie, ah _stop_." Jason grunted. "It hurts."

Charlie clenched his teeth hard. He was trembling so violently that his teeth were chattering. "I know, little brother. I know it hurts. Just hang in there. It'll stop soon." He gave the board another tug and Jason cried out.

Stan took his chance to walk into the room, taking in the sight for only a second before Charlie called out to him. Stan was strong. He could help him. "Stan! Stan, help me move this. Quick. Please." His voice sounded desperate even in his own ears but Stan did as he was told, lifting away the wood beams easily like it weighed nothing. Charlie was at his brother's side a second later, lifting his body slightly and leaning Jason up against his chest, cradling him against him. "Jason, hey. It's alright now. We're gonna get you help."

Charlie's fingers shook as he held his brother tightly. His skin was coated in an icy sweat and his body was so beaten that Charlie was having trouble finding a place to rest his hands that wouldn't hurt him. Who had done this to his brother? Jason hadn't done anything wrong. He wasn't part of this. Aaron stone should have never crossed the line into Charlie Lander's life. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was alright now though. He had Jason in his arms. There was nothing else that could go wrong. He'd slap a band aid on his cuts, give him an ice pack and some nachos and his little brother would be good as gold. He'd get better. He had to get better.

"Ch-Charlie?" Jason murmured weakly, eyes rolling behind only half opened lids in a completely unnatural way.

"What? What is it?" Charlie said softly. The way Jason spoke made him wonder if this was going to be the last thing he ever said. He banished these thoughts from his head. It wasn't something he wanted to worry about.

"I…I don't feel so good." Jason whispered on failing breath before his body went completely limp in Charlie's arms.

Charlie's heart froze in his chest. He swore he had died right there as he called his brother's name for the hundredth time since he had gotten home. "Jase? _Jase, stay with me_. Come on, open your eyes. _Jase_." Under his hand where it was pressed to his brother's chest where a heart had been beating slowly before, was now a completely different feeling. The beating Charlie felt in his chest was much too rapid to be natural, the heart slamming eratically against Jason's ribcage so hard that Charlie's hand jumped with it. The pressure against his palm making him fearful that the crazed beating would tear his brother's heart straight from his chest. "Call an ambulance." Charlie called to Stan fearfully. Jason's body jerked upwards slightly and his teeth snapped together hard enough to slice his tongue against his teeth, a drop of blood dotting his lips as he convulsed hard. "Damn it Stan, call _someone_! Jason! Jase, hang on!"

Charlie held him tightly. He didn't know what was going on, only that if he let go, his brother would only hurt himself more. He squeezed his arms around his brother, whispering in horror into his ear that everything was going to be alright. Everything was going to get better if he just hung on. Slowly, too slowly, Jason's heartbeat sputtered and halted in Jason's chest and his body stopped jerking. Through his half opened lids, Charlie watched as Jason's eyes rolled back into his head and he once again lay still. Only then did Charlie allow himself to breath, listening to the quiet pitter of Jason's breath.

"Charlie, look." Stan said quietly. Charlie followed the bot's eyes to the exposed skin of Jason's neck where tiny white splotches were beginning to form on Jason's skin around a pin tip dot of red in the center.

Charlie's brow furrowed. It looked like some type of weird rash or maybe even hives. As far as he knew though, Jason didn't have any allergies. "What in the world is-"

"Aaron Stone."

The voice did not surprise Charlie to hear but where it had come from caught him off guard. His eyes traveled across the floorboards and over the debris to the TV he had unplugged what felt like forever ago. The chord still lay against the floor, disconnected and useless but the picture on the screen had flickered to life back to the Hero Rising game and a figure that stood there on the screen.

"Necros…"

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_dun. dun. Duuuuuuun!_ **Necros makes his entrance. And what is wrong with Jason? Will Aaron be able to save him? Find out next time on My Not so Super Hero Aaron Stone! =D**


	4. How to Save a Life or How to Ruin Yours

**Thank you very much for the reviews people. Here's where the story takes a little twist for our favorite super hero. ^^ **

**And yes, I apologize for the little typo in the last chapter. I meant erratic and not erotic. I know I got some of you crazy fangirls excited and that's not cool of me- considering I am one myself- to pull something like that but my fingers moved on their own. haha. I is very embarrassed. Oh well. I promise this chapter will make up for it. Like always, I love love love to read your reviews and opinions. Thanks for enjoying the story so much and here's the next little part like I promised.**

**Enjoy and_ Review_.^^**

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4

"Hello Aaron. Long time no see." Dr. Necros said, a steely cold creeping into his voice.

Over the screen, his movements were blocky and ridged but Charlie had no trouble recognizing who he was. His body tensed as he leaned farther over Jason's unmoving body as if to shield him from the man on the TV. His hands balled into tight fists. "Necros, what do you want?"

Charlie was slightly taken aback by the sharpness of his own voice. Each word dripped venom and rage and he found his body was shaking in a desperate attempt to keep himself from bashing the screen in. In the back of his mind, through the red haze that had blinded his vision with fury, he was half aware of the unsteady heartbeat of his little brother and the still unmoving android Stan who had not yet bothered to call that ambulance Jason needed.

"Want? There is much I want, Aaron Stone. I want for you to surrender. I want Hall to perish painfully and slowly. I want this world to fall down into the rubble where it belongs." Dr. Necros paused and a rattled cough shook his body."But these things are completely beside the point and all things that will come in time. What I need from you now, is your help."

"Help? What makes you think I would ever help you with anything? Whatever it is, it's not my probl-"

"Actually, _Charlie_. It is." Necros said sharply. He coughed again and took out a handkerchief, blotting at his forehead where a visible sweat had broken out against skin dotted with the same white splotches that were growing on Jason's skin even as they spoke. Charlie's brow furrowed slightly at the connection.

"Those patches on your skin. What are they?" Charlie was just beginning to work out what this was all about and he was not very at ease at the thought of what Necros might have up his sleeves. His breath hitched in his throat for a moment and he added quietly. "What have you done to my brother?"

Necros smiled weakly and for the first time, Charlie noticed the wires and needles attached to the man's skin. The grayness that was spreading under his eyes and the pained way he spoke. Necros was either very sick or dying. Charlie wouldn't have cared very much if it weren't for that smile that had not moved from the bald man's face.

"Necros…" Charlie repeated sharper and braver. "What did you do to Jason?"

Dr. Necros' eyes brightened several shades as he went on to explain with minor detail. "Charlie, in my line of work, there are always risk factors. I'm sure this is something you understand more than anyone, am I right?" he cleared his throat and continued slowly. The way he dragged out each word and sentence made Charlie anxious and jumpy, wanting to just stop him and order him to tell him directly what was wrong with his brother. He kept his cool though, squeezing his arm around his brother's chest protectively. "Sometimes, things do not go as planned in our lines of work, hm? And recently, I've hit a sort of a speed bump, if you will."

"Skip the monologue." Charlie shot bitterly. It was terrifying that Necros seemed to have abandoned the fact that Aaron Stone was his cover name. It seemed he had figured out somewhere along the lines who Charlie was and what his real name was. There was no telling what else the man knew. The thought hadn't completely registered in Charlie's mind though and he kept it down to focus on the situation at hand. "Just tell me what you want from me."

"Patience, Charlie. _Patience_." He took a breath before continuing. Charlie thought at first that he was just doing this to be difficult but the way Necros was breathing made it clear that talking was clearly putting a strain on his body. "I have been working on a project lately. It is a virus that is spread though injection that is powerful enough to take out entire branches of this world. But you see, injection is not the most efficient way of completing what I have in mind."

"And what, you want me to find a way to spread this? In your dreams, Necros. I would never agree to-"

"Just _listen_!" Necros shouted, sending his body into a slight spasm as he shouted. When he had managed himself he began again more firm than before. "I had already found a way to spread the virus through the air but the one prototype I had completed was released in my lab last night. Somewhere along the lines, it seems the virus has gotten into my own system. Even as we speak, it is tearing apart my cells and atom structure bit by bit."

"Well good for you." Charlie hissed back. "Find your own cure."

"I already know a cure, Charlie. The problem is getting to it. The antidote is already complete minus the final ingredient. IC12 is the last piece. Without it the virus will take its toll on my body within the next forty eight hours. As you can clearly see, I need the antidote. It's our only choice."

"I don't think so, Necros. There's nothing in the entire world you could do to make me help you."

"I highly doubt that, Mr. Landers." Necros said with that same signature grin across his pale face. "You see, even as we speak, that same virus is eating away at little Jason. My men injected the last dose of the virus into his system twenty minutes ago. He's got as much time to live as myself."

Charlie's grasp on Jason tightened as he pulled his eyes away from the screen, staring down at his brother who had begun to shiver, teeth clattering. The white splotches had spread farther up his neck and over part of his face. The virus was acting so fast in he could nearly see the growing side effects.

"All I need you to do is acquire the antidote for me. I already have the coordinates to where it is currently being kept. It will not be easy mind you. My own drones have tried and failed. But you. I mean, you are Aaron Stone. It should be easy for you, and considering your brother's life is on the line."

"You want me to steal for you? Become a thief all because you slipped up and got yourself poisoned?" Charlie was highly disturbed by his request but at the same time was partially aware that it was Jason's only salvation at this point. "Aaron Stone is not a criminal."

"No, but consider this. While my drones may be able to forget me quite easily when I am gone, how long do you suppose it will take Charlie Landers to forget once Jason has? Aaron Stone may not be a criminal, but nothing is stopping Charlie Landers."

Charlie watched as Jason grunted in his sleep and shifted slightly to the side in his arms and stayed silent, eyes unable to focus on Necros on the TV screen any longer.

"I see we've reached an understanding." Necros said calmly with that same terrible smile. "I'm faxing the coordinates now. Good luck, Aaron…or rather, Charlie."

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_ Charlie the criminal or Aaron the hero??? hehehe. connnnffffliiiiiccccctttt!_


	5. Not Programmed to Commit Felonies

**Goodmorning everyone! It was like... six o'clock when I decided to put this little part up and i think im gonna take a nap now...or not. Anyhow, hope you like it. It's kinda a slow chapter because it works as the bridge into the rest of the story but I promise it will pick right back up in part 6. I dont think it's that bad though considering how bad bridges**_could_** be. It's got some cute parts.**

**Anyhoo, enjoy the story and _please reveiw_. ^^**

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5

"Charlie this is under no circumstances a good idea. Do you know what you are doing in agreeing to this? I will not accept it. I will not allow you to go about like you are some sort of wild criminal!"

"Stan!" Charlie shot with a sharpness that matched what he had used on Necros a moment ago. The condition Jason was in was beginning to eat at him just like the virus was currently on one of his worst enemies and his only brother. "Shut up." He ran a hand through his hair anxiously. "Look, we don't have any other options. Jason is my brother."

Stan's blinking eyes made no change and Charlie shook his head. "You know, I didn't expect you to understand anyways. You don't have a family, you were created. You have no clue what it's like to lose someone like this." He lifted Jason carefully into his arms. He was skinny for his age and weighed nearly nothing. Charlie wondered how he was so small. He ate everything, cleaned the fridge on a regular basis and spent the rest of his life on the couch. The only exercise he ever got was the quick motions his fingers made pressing on the buttons of video game controllers.

Just that thought of his brother seemed like it was a million miles away now. It was something he would never see again if he didn't follow through and go after the antidote. Stan wouldn't get it though. He would never get it because he didn't feel compassion. He hadn't grown up with a kid brother who followed you around and wanted to be everything you were. One who nipped at your heels like a lost puppy dog for the first nine years of their life before they finally decided they wanted to be their own person. A brother who looked up to you not only height wise but in everything that could have possibly been inherited by them be it hand-me-downs or even the ability to talk to girls, even if that certain skill had not quite stuck.

Jason was everything to Charlie. He was as much a part of him as his own right hand and if he were to die, Charlie would as well. If not physically, the pain would destroy him on its own. So no, there was no other choice. He was going to save his brother's life even if it meant busting through Stan to get there.

"Charlie, you know Mr. Hall will not accept this. He will not let you go through with all this. Stealing is for criminals, not heroes. What you are considering shouldn't ever have even crossed your mind as a decision."

Charlie lifted Jason across the room to the door, heading down the stairs. Stan had already explained how they could not send Jason to a hospital. The virus infecting his system wasn't something they could treat anyways. All they would do was keep Charlie from him once he had the antidote. There was no way they would trust him in a patient's room with an unidentified needle. He didn't trust leaving Jason alone in the house though seeing how Necros knew where Charlie lived and Jason was getting worse by the second. Emma would know how to take care of him. She wouldn't be happy about last minute babysitting but Charlie was sure she would do it for him and for Jason once she saw what they were dealing with.

"Charlie, you know I cannot help you with this." Stan said from where he had not moved from the top of the staircase. "I am not programmed to commit felonies. This is something out of my hands."

Charlie paused with his shoulder against the dangling front door, glancing back at Stan and his broken face. He had never imagined an android could have such a strong handle on forcing emotions. "Stan…he's my brother."

That was all that needed to be said and all that was said as Charlie passed the door and strode across the street. He was partially gracious that there was no traffic out on the street. It was quite a sight seeing him holding a very much beaten and dirt covered Jason like he was a rag doll. Neighbors would question. Emma's parents would question. He had sent her a text though and she was home alone. They just had to get him somewhere he could rest till Charlie got back.

She was already there to open the door when he stepped onto her front porch, concern etched all over her face so deeply that Charlie had to wonder if it would ever go away. "Quickly, bring him inside. Up to my room." Emma said without so much or a hello. Charlie was glad that he had finally found someone who felt the same as him. There was no time to lose.

He lifted him towards the staircase and up each step. His feet were careful and his touch soft, noting the way Jason's jaw tightened when he was jostled or turned. It was a blessing when he reached Emma's room, navigating around her drum set and the messy tangle or wires where her Hero rising game was set up to her bed. It was here he set his brother down, laying him out flat on the covers. "Ch-Charlie?" Jason murmured before falling silent once more.

Charlie pressed his hand against his brother's forehead. He was sweating but his skin was ice cold. It hurt him to know there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Emma entered the room a moment later with a bowl of water, a washcloth and a bag of chips. She said nothing but Charlie could read her eyes. She was confused. How could all this have happened right across the street without her even knowing? Necros was becoming increasingly dangerous by the day.

"Keep him comfortable." Charlie said unsteadily as his fingers reached to touch the edge of the paper folded up in his pocket. His palm still pressed against his brother's forehead, swiping the hair from Jason's eyes carefully.

He stood up. There was nothing he wanted less than to leave his brother's side knowing there might not be any brother left to come home to. He had run out of options though. This was the only way back to his relatively normal life where he was the super hero and he had everyone to save but his own family. It was better then. It was better before things had gotten so personal. It was bound to happen sooner or later, he had just hoped it had been later and not sooner.

"Go." Emma said softly to him, eyes understanding. "I'll take care of him."

Charlie nearly asked her how she could possibly take care of him but it wasn't right to pin this on her. That wouldn't have been fair.

"I'll be back as quick as I can with the antidote."Charlie murmured softly, and because if he stayed any longer he wouldn't be able to force himself to leave, he turned and tore himself away from his brother's side and rushed towards the back door.

Waiting outside for him, down among the cover of trees where the neighbors wouldn't see was the ship. He nearly laughed with relief as he spotted Stan from the window of his house across the street grinning a silent good luck. Stan had said he couldn't come along, but getting him access to the ship definitely counted as help.

Maybe there was hope for forgiveness yet.

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_haha, Emma's babysitting the half conscious Jason in her room. Too bad Jason is kinda out of it. he would be excited to witness such a moment in history! haha_

_Boys Like Girls concert tonight! Im psyched! Ill try to get another part up before then though. If not, Ill see you all tomorow after school.^^_


	6. One Giant Crazy Bug Zapper

**Im finally here. Sorry this took so long but I wasn't super happy with this chapter so I just HAD to write the next one to make up for it. It might not be that bad. It think i'm just being overcritical. I usually am of my own work. It can always be better, right? anyways, here we go. Charlie begins his break in to find the antidote.**

**Read and _reveiw. _Lotsa thanks to all you who actually come back for more. I love to see people who stick with a story to the end and not just skim for the parts they want to see. **^^

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6

Charlie had never driven the ship before on his own. All the times he had ever been behind the controls, it had been with Stan sitting next to him leading him and telling his where to go any what to do. It felt strange going out like this as Aaron Stone on a mission but not really being Aaron Stone at the same time. He felt horribly exposed this way. He wore his uniform and was assured by the gauntlet still strapped securely to his wrist but right then, he was not the super hero he had been last week or even that morning.

His stomach was in knots as he glanced down once again at the coordinates unfolded out in front of him. He was very close to the area already and for once, he wished his ship didn't move so fast. It was better this way for Jason's sake but the sickness he was feeling towards what he was about to do kept coming to mind. He was going to steal the IC12. He wasn't sure what it even was, only that it was extremely rare ad kept guarded in this facility in the middle of the mountains on the far side of the Himalayas. If anyone else knew about it, they kept a pretty tight lip about it.

The IC12 was being held in a small chamber in the heart of the building and was guarded, as far as Necros knew, by two walls on the outside of the building which consisted of an electromagnetic defense system powerful enough to suck in even the slightest hint of lead or metal on the human body and basically fry it to bits. For this reason alone, guards were not patrolling the outer perimeter of the facility.

After the walls was the building itself which were plated with triple enforced steel plating. This part would be easy enough to get by. Necros had already had a set of his drones find a small sewage tunnel around the west side of the building where he would be able to climb through without more than a rather nasty smell lingering on him for the next few days.

The sewer tunnel let back out in the basement of the building but Necros' drones had tunneled a way up a second shaft that led up to the second floor. The only problem with this path was that they had accidentally tunneled next to the furnace room and if anything was being burned while inside, it would roast him alive. He still hadn't decided if that was a risk he was willing to take.

If he did end up taking this route, the room with the IC12 was only a short distance away down a hall that was more or less flooded with guards and through a final room. Whatever was guarding this final room was uncertain. That was where Necros' people had been picked off and that was where they had failed their mission. Charlie would have to find out for himself when and if he got there alive.

All in all, the mission was nothing like Aaron had ever taken on. He wasn't completely certain what waited for him. All he had as warning was the detail lacking description Necros had sent with the faxed coordinates and an aching in his chest where the doubt was beginning to fill up. He banished his fear when the mountain came into sight and he tilted the ship away from where the facility was placed. If he flew overhead, he would just be shot down. The only way to get to the building was to land farther down the slope and make his way up on his own.

The snow was bright and clean up this high where the only air that touched it was burned cold and crisp. It was a cleansing sort of feeling though and he breathed it in deeply as he stepped off the ship where he had landed it among a group of trees. It hurt in his lungs and he sniffed as his nose dried nearly immediately and his eyes watered when the cold tingled I his nostrils.

"Why can't secret bases ever be somewhere warm like Florida or Cancun?" He grumbled to himself as he wiped a hand over his lips. The building wasn't far but it was over the crest of a hill out of sight. In the thigh deep snow, it would still be a pain getting up it.

His feet carried him up the slope against the wind. It wasn't snowing which was possibly the first fortunate thing that had happened since Charlie had woken up this morning. His breath still came in puffs out in front of his face though so thick that he had to squint to see through it; so much that when he had reached the foot of the large, gray colorless building, he nearly stepped right into the pull of the electromagnets.

The static traveling along the edge of the walls was a rush on it's own. His hairs stood on end at the sheer pull against even the tiny metal buttons on his shirt. His entire being was being attracted to the wall. Unless he rid himself of every hint of metal on himself, the field would suck him in and kill him immediately, then where would Jason be?

He didn't need to worry himself. If Necros could do it then he could certainly get past this little bump in the road. After all, he still had plenty of time. He didn't check his watch despite his assuring thoughts. He didn't want to be proven wrong. He didn't need to be rushed now of all times. After all, if he was captured or killed, Jason would suffer from his own mistakes. It seemed there had been enough of that lately.

He took out the paper Necros had faxed him and scanned it for details. Next to the explanation about the electromagnets was a brief play by play about a little hand Necros would give Charlie to get past the fist wall of defense around the facility. He had learned how to hack into the system that ran the buildings power and could shut it all down. He had written that he would do the very same thing for Charlie at exactly five o'clock and no later. If Charlie missed it, he would have to find his own way inside. It was nearly five already but Charlie was beginning to grow anxious. Necros only had enough knowledge to hold off the magnets temporarily. Twenty six seconds was what it said on his instructions. Any longer and Charlie would be fried.

He gave a shudder. "Aaron Stone served well done." He said out loud. His voice calmed him some and he breathed slightly, trying to imagine this as any other mission to complete. This was nothing at all. "Piece of cake."

There was a silent buzzing in the air and Charlie felt a sudden change in pressure, his body feeling as if it had been released from a heavy weight. The walls were shut down. Just like Necros had promised. Charlie's feet were moving a moment later and he wondered how many seconds he had wasted just standing there trying to remember what was happening. He was angry. He couldn't keep zoning out or it would end up costing him.

He crawled under the bars of the first wall, sprinting as fast as he could for the second. He heard another buzzing and his body began to tingle halfway across the space separating the two towering obstacles. "Not yet." He murmured in a panic at the same time as his body moved to throw himself under the second wall. It sizzled to life as he reached to pull himself by his arms away from it and his body gave a violent jerk backwards towards the wall. "No!" He shouted, eyes widening. He shot out his right hand instinctively and a line of wire shot out, the metal pointed tip sticking into the cement face of the building in front of him where he lay on his stomach.

As he tugged on the rope, the electromagnets tugged on him and he found himself in a complete stand still, a mid point in a tug of war game where both sides were equally strong. The mechanism inside his grappling rope whirred and clicked in protest at being pulled so hard in the other direction and finally settled into a locked position. It looked like it was going to be no help towards him at all.

His leg jerked again and he realized the second wall must have roared to life behind him. His body lifted off the ground, suspended by the sheer pull from behind him and from in front of him. His shoulder screamed in protest at being yanked so bitterly and he cried out as he felt it pop from his socket. A vision of him being flung against the wall and fried like a fly in a bug-zapper flashed in his mind and he grasped onto the rope with his other hand defiantly. "I…am not going to... get taken out by a…giant pain in the ass magnet." He panted through clenched teeth. The pain in his shoulder nearly unbearable as that arm dangled limp, his hand unmoving where his wrist connected to the rope. He tugged on the rope as hard as he could, shouting with the effort as he made little distance. With his feet, he shuffled them hard as he could against the icy ground, making his way along the ice slow and unsteadily. He hadn't even realized he was gaining any advance towards the building and away from the wall behind him till the tugging on his legs died down to a light rush and his body was set back down flat. He lay there panting for what seemed like forever, face planted in the white snow underneath him. His shoulder was on fire and he grasped onto it with his opposite arm when he rolled onto his back, grinding his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as he popped the joint back into place with a hard twist. Spots danced in his eyes and he prayed with every ounce of his being that he didn't pass out. He needed to keep going. He needed to get this all done with so he could go back home and breath. Who knew when the last time he had really taken a breath. That could come later though. For now- his eyes traveled to his watch and checked the timer he had set. Forty two hours left. Forty two hours in counting.

"Hang in there baby bro. I'm nearly there."

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_ Next chapter coming in five minutes so hang in there. haha. Its one of my favorites to have written. The next chapter is heart wrenching at least for myself. =D_


	7. More Hurt Than Helped

**Eep. So this has been my favorite chapter to write so far. I think that will change by the end of the sotry considering my plans I've got up my sleeves but this little Jason moment was more fun than I first thought.**

**Please enjoy and _review_. **^^

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7

Jason had not been in so much pain in his entire life. He let out a hiss of air through teeth that would barely allow him to split them apart to scream much less speak real words. It had not come as a surprise to him though. It came in waves really. One moment he was numb and felt as if the agony had passed and the next he was a whimpering mess in the covers.

He felt hot yet he could not stop shivering. He wanted to push the covers off of him but the newest wave of pain kept him paralyzed where he lay. He tried to think back to what had put him here. He had quit the wrestling team so there was no way he could have been slugged in a match and for the most part, he had kept off of people's nerves at school. So what had-

The pinprick dot in the side of his neck throbbed suddenly and his body jerked upwards. That was it. He remembered now. Those freaks that had busted into his house dressed as Hero Rising drones. Jason didn't know who or what they were. All he knew was that they looked angry and carried guns. When they demanded to see Aaron Stone, that was the moment Jason knew they were completely mental. Aaron Stone? They wanted Aaron Stone like, for real? They weren't even joking. That was the not so funny part. They weren't even kidding when they said it. And now Jason was laying on his back, forcing his teeth apart to cry out loudly as fire burned its way down his skin from his neck, reaching his toes before coming back up.

A small, reassuring hand on his shoulder pressed him down into the sheets, telling him to relax. Assuring him it was alright. He wanted more than anything to peek open his eyes and see who this scared sounding voice belonged to but the pain blinded him momentarily and the lights worked against him as he forced his lids to open.

The pain subsided and he feared how long it would be this time before it came back. It came quicker and slower. The waves hitting at random intervals for what could last seconds or minutes. Jason found that he sometimes preferred the agony instead of the break time between it. It was torture wondering when the next would come over him. He wished for it to just decide whether it was gone or back. This whole coming and going thing was driving him mad.

The light in the room was harsh on his pupils and he hissed, squeezing them shut again as a voice said somewhere far away- "Oops, I'm so sorry. Let me get the blinds."

The room dimmed behind his eyelids and he sighed as he tried for a third time to face what world he had woken up to. His breath hitched against his lungs as he took in what must have been a bedroom. It wasn't very pink or girly but it was definitely a female room. He knew by the lack of dirty laundry and the wafting essence of flowers and bed sheets.

Standing over him was a shadowy figure, swimming in and out of view like he was looking at it underwater. After a moment he could clearly tell it was a girl, slim and petite with black hair and tanned skin. When she spoke, her voice was pounding loud in his ears yet it calmed him to know there was someone around beside him.

"Jason? Are you with me for real this time?"

Jason grunted and shifted slightly, taking his break between the waves of pain to move into a slightly more comfortable position. His arm went around his stomach, resting on his side limply before he was too exhausted to move any more, panting to catch his breath that just wouldn't come. "Maybe." He grunted back. His jaw was throbbing from grinding his teeth through the pain and he let it hang slightly after he spoke.

He took in the figure one more time as the room came into better focus surprised to see Emma leaning over him, pressing a warm cloth against his forehead with concern etched all over her face. He had always imagined the moment he would see her bedroom. This was not quite how he had pictured it though he would take it if this was the only chance he got.

"This is your room…" He murmured softly.

She nodded and her lips turned into a slight scared frown as he turned his head back and forth to take everything in. Then his face settled into a slight grin and he said with a hint of humor. "Oh I get it. I'm dreaming."

Emma laughed lightly and her face was lit up by a relieved smile. "You're not dreaming, Jase. I'm taking care of you for a while."

Jason blinked at her a few times before adding a sure sounding. "No. I'm definitely dreaming. If I wasn't then all this would be real. I know. When Charlie socked me last night I must have gotten knocked out. This is the most vivid nightmare I've ever had." He turned his head to look at Emma. "But this part is good. Totally worth it." The pin point on his neck throbbed and he braced for pain but it stayed away for the time being. "I should have realized before when those freak dudes busted up our house. There's no way Charlie is Aaron Stone. My imagination is just wacked up from that hit Charlie gave me. I'm gonna kill him when I wake up. If he gave me a fat lip…"

The face Emma was giving him was enough to shut him up and he hesitated. He already knew he was talking crazy. He knew he was awake by now or he wouldn't have felt all this agony. He was awake he just didn't want to believe any of it. His words were there to assure him, hoping that maybe Emma would smile and tell him it was all some psychotic joke. Charlie would come out from under the bed and laugh and say that Jason had nothing to worry about. He wanted to hear it from someone. _Anyone._ He needed to hear that everything was gonna be okay. Instead, a very different question came out and he rasped a scared yet calm sounding.

"Hey Em…am I…gonna die?" His voice cracked halfway through as his weak smile disappeared and he watched her through clouded, half opened eyes. He didn't want to die. He wasn't ready and he was scared stiff.

Emma jumped to her feet like he had said something that offended her and she occupied trembling hands by swiping the cloth from his brow and rewetting it in the bowl by the nightstand. "Jason, no. Don't even say that please." She said as she began ringing out the cloth and folding it back into a neat little square.

Her answer unnerved him so he spoke again, quieter now so she would listen. "Emma…"

The terror in his voice had her looking up, watching as a silvery wet drop slid down the side of his face from the corner of his eyes- continuing its path to his ear before dropping onto to pillow with a damp patter.

Emma shook her head and turned her eyes away. She had never seen him so scared before. He was always so cheerful and optimistic even when being turned down or picked on. It was like he wasn't even Jason any more. He was just a scared shell of the fifteen year old that lived across the street.

"No, Jason. Charlie is out there right now going to save you. He's probably already on his way back. You'll see." Her voice was stiff though, lying through her teeth. Jason caught it but didn't point it out.

He took a breath, eyes closing slightly before he forced them back open. He didn't want to sleep any more. He felt so alone when he closed his eyes. It was nice to have her there to talk with. "So it's all true then. Charlie really is…I mean he's really…Aaron Stone."

Emma didn't answer and that was enough for Jason. Another weak smile hit his face and his eyes gained some life if only just. "I knew it. I knew something was up. The way he was always sneaking out and making up these lame excuses. I knew he was hiding something." The realization ran him over the next moment and he blinked in bitter hurt. "He was hiding it…and he couldn't even tell me? His own brother?"

"Jason, he did it to protect you." She said as her eyes melted compassionately.

Jason snorted. "Well he did a _bang up_ job with that." He scoffed sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"He's trying his best, Jason. He really is. You've gotta try to understand you have the best big brother in the entire world." Emma reached and grasped onto his hand hesitantly, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Jason felt his face heat up slightly at her touch. He was too distracted by his bitter thoughts towards his older brother to catalogue the moment and instead yanked his hand away from her like she had electrocuted him. He didn't want to hear about this. He didn't want to hear her stand up for him. His brother had lied to him for how long? Jason trusted him with everything in his entire life and Charlie couldn't slide in the pretty major fact that hey, he's a secret video game superhero come to life to fight crime and save the world.

And what if something had ever happened to Charlie? Jason would never know the truth. Jason would be completely in the dark about it. "I tell him everything…and I apparently don't know a_ thing_ about him."

So what, Charlie was protecting him how? How had he possibly protected him by lying and not trusting him with the truth? Jason was a little more than hurt.

As if to emphasize his thoughts, the needle prick on his neck throbbed and a beat of pain rushed down his body. He screamed out loud, not bothering to set his teeth against it as the physical pain mingled with the mental hurt, exploding in his eyes and setting him back down in the dark where unconsciousness was his safe haven.

He had the coolest brother in the history of brothers, and he didn't even know it.

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_AWWWWWwwwwww. Poor baby brother Jason is feeling untrusted and left out by big brother Charlie. He'll get the chance to figive him though...**right???**_

_Next part coming tomorrow or late tonight depending. _


	8. Cooked

**Here you go guys. The next part to the story. Thank you so much for your reviews. The more the merrier or whatever they say. I love to hear you are liking the story and I like even more that some of you are actually finding my mistakes. There's no way to get better and gain footing than to learn a little. I highly appreciate your help.^^**

**Here's the next part. Please enjoy and _review. _**=)

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8

The sewer pipes had to be Charlie's least favorite part about the whole breaking and entering thing. Being nearly torn in half by the magnetic walls on the outside of the building had been pretty bad for sure but just the stench of the rounded metal cave he had trod through made his eyes fog and his mind grow dizzy. He found himself tugging his shirt collar up over his nose and mouth a little ways through, upset he hadn't thought of it sooner and saved his poor lungs the agony of the reek and filth that filled the long hallway.

His feet moved in complete darkness along the floor, careful not to stumble or catch his boot on anything. The slight arch of the ground under him kept him walking on a straight path and he pressed his arms tightly to his sides, uncertain how wide the tunnel really was. It had been large enough to stand in crouched when he had first entered but if that had changed, he couldn't be certain. He wasn't quite up to reaching to find out either. It wasn't smart to stick your fingers where they shouldn't be. His mother had told him a million times when he was just a little boy and although that meaning didn't really mean the same thing here, it still applied.

He saw a light up ahead and realized that he had been walking with his eyes shut. The light ahead was close enough so that the shine filtering in reflected the sodden pipes and ridged aluminum walls. His stomach lurched slightly and he sped up, taking the last few yards at a sprint. "Gross..." He mumbled to himself, stomach churning.

He stood underneath the light, looking upwards into what looked like a trap door. It lead to the first floor of the building. He could take it and continue on at the surface but this had not been the way Necros' men had gone. If he took the trapdoor up into the open air which may have been rather tempting from where he stood, it may not be the most efficient way of doing things. Necros' men had not traveled up that way, they had made their own separate tunnel away from the obstacles that may have been set up for intruders just like Charlie. If he took the ladder up to the light pressing against his cheeks, he would be on his own. How long would it take him to find the right room? How much time would that take away from the- he checked his watch- fourty one hours and twelve minutes of time Jason had left? That was, if he even had that long. Jason was just a kid. Would his immune system even fight the virus long enough as Necros had said? He had to. Charlie didn't have time to worry about that. He would just have to trust Necros.

All the air in his lungs escaped him in a single breath as he shook his head against his own temptation to take the easy way up the ladder. He began to feel for the tunnel Necros had his men dig.

Since when did he trust Necros anyways? The feeling of what he was doing hit him again and he swallowed what felt like a golf ball that was plugging his throat. Necros was calling the shots now. Aaron Stone was just his pawn to play with however he deemed fit- be it sacrificing his life or using him to commit all his nasty thefts and scandals, Necros had Charlie in the palm of his hand, fingers raised as bars to trap him inside.

His hand ran over open air and he gave a sigh or relief. He'd found the tunnel, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that the opening was rather thin. The fit would be tight and considering his gauntlet rope was pretty much fried, he would have to climb the slim tube on his own.

He breathed, wondering if he would even have oxygen in the dark stone pipe leading up to the second floor of the building. All he could think about was reaching the end of the climb and peeking his head into open air. He was already dreaming of the finish and he had not even started. This was not good. He pressed his palms together, rubbing his hands hard before reaching to tug himself into the tunnel above him. His right arm screamed with the protest, still raw and tender from being dislocated only an hour or two ago. He set his teeth against the pain and reached farther up to lift himself in. His feet scrambled in the open air underneath him on the first few holds before his legs disappeared into the cavern with him and he was gained access to not only hand holds but foot holds as well.

For a moment, Charlie wondered if it would be possible to bring the IC12 back to Necros but steal the antidote away before the man used it on himself. He could take it to Jason and leave the scientist to die on his own. It was his own fault anyhow. But no, Charlie didn't want to risk breaking their deal. Jason might not see the antidote at all if Charlie even set his jaw wrong against Necros.

The tunnel was the same size all the way up and he knew it had been clean cut with a drill. That was the only way they could have dug this long a pathway in the stone after only a single short night of work. Charlie had to admit, he was glad it was already dug for him. The air in the tunnel was growing warmer and he breathed deeply without much help. He needed to hurry before he tired himself out. His shoulders caught on a stone and he wiggled back and forth, forcing his way up higher and trying not to notice how tight everything was. Trying to keep his mind off of the small possibility that he would get wedged in the tunnel and die here under the ground where no one would ever find him.

The golf ball in his throat was back and he caughed, dirt and dust raining down on his head and clinging to skin beaded with sweat. A rock slid down the back of his shirt and caught there but he had no room to move it. He squeezed his eyes shut, chancing a quick glance up the tunnel at the end of the climb. He was nearly there, wherever _there_ was. a dim yellow light shone down on him from a small opening above. he had a few more yards to go. Maybe five or six. He swiped his forehead against his sleeve. It was so hot. His body relaxed slightly, breathing easier now as he reached a hand up. A hand. A foot. A foot. A hand. A hand. A foot. A hand. Up and up as his ears began to hum with the pressure.

A hand. A hand. A foot. A foot. A han-

He paused where he was.

That wasn't his ears humming. It sounded like some sort of machine. A generator maybe and it was close. He pressed his ear against the side of the wall, and pulled right back when he felt the sheer heat of the stone there. The humming was coming from right next to him in the room on the other side of the tunnel wall, and along with the humming was the sound of a roaring flame and the pop of stone and coal.

It was the furnace Necros had written about and it was definitely running. It was suddenly painfully obvious how suffocatingly warm it had gotten around him. The sizzling rock under his hands blistering his finger tips as he scrambled to get higher up. Below him where the flames were closer, the stone hissed with steam that had found cracks and mini doorways into the tunnel Charlie was trapped in. It was his own oven and Charlie was the main course.

His breath came in gasps, pulling higher and higher. The opening was so close but the heat scorching the stone walls made ever hand hold feel like he was grasping onto oven tops. The sweat made his fingers slick and his grasp slid free, sending him downward slightly in the tunnel. His feet shot out to hold him up pulling and tugging, legs scrambling upwards as hard and fast as he could. The rocks tore free under every other kick and his fingers bled where he scraped for holds.

And then he was breathing air and a cool waft of oxygen and ice hit him. He couldn't help the ragged gasp of air that he took into his stiff, dried lungs. He wondered if that was how it felt to drown. It felt as though his head had been held under the water of a pot of boiling water and he had just been let free to take a breath. He coughed, laying flat as he tugged his legs out of the tunnel. He was in what seemed to be some sort of supply closet. The lights were dim but under the door in front of his face, the world was clearly a much clearer place.

"That wasn't...so bad..." He panted to assure himself as he sat up. "But man, what I wouldn't give for a coke right now." He dabbed at the sweat on his brow with the crook of his arm, pushing against the wall behind him to stand up. He had gotten past all the tough parts. All that was left to face was the guards and then whatever guarded the room with the IC12. People he could handle though. It was the technology that had him stumped. First the magnets and then the radiator, guards would be a sort of release.

He heard feet on the other side of the door and knew that surprise was on his side. No one knew he was here. He had the world to work with until an eye landed on him. He waited for the feet to pass before he eased open the door. Luck was on his side. There wasn't a single guard or being in the entire hall. He smiled his first real smile since that morning and took off for the fifth door down from where he was. It was sealed tight but his guantlet took care of it easy enough, blasting the controls. He had had enough machanics for one day. It was time to do things the way he knew and that was just by blasting and not looking back.

He didn't get it how Necros' men had failed here of all places. This seemed like the easiest part of the mission. The door slid open to reveal an empty room, a single podium at the far end where a small metal box sat marched with all sorts of numbers and letters. It was what he was after though.

He scanned the room with a quick eye. As far as he could see, there were no wire traps, no sensors or cameras or lasers or anything really. It was just a plain metal grating floored room with plain white walls and a plain life saving ingredient to his brother's antidote. Nothing off or strange in any way. He smirked. He supposed no one expected anyone to get this far without getting caught."Finally some luck."

He took seven steps and a half steps. That was all it took. Seven steps and the floor began to change from metal grating to a black solid. The panic hit him before the idea to move did and he paused as the black liquid rose from underneath the floor, rising to his ankles before it stopped. Planted in five inches of the liquid cement and trapped where he stood while a silent alarm buzzed somewhere in the building and footsteps came his way."No. Not now." He breathed, tugging and pulling at his legs. He wasn't going anywhere though as the door behind him shot open and men came charging in to get him, securing his arms tightly and allowing the black tar around his feet to lower enough to drag him from the room shouting.

"No! Let me go, you don't understand. I have to get going! My brother! _Jason!_"

On his wrist, his watch beeped as another moment passed.

Forty hours and counting.

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_Ill probably have the next chapter up tonight unless my brother needs the computer or something. I'll just let Charlie chill in his cell till I finish writing up what I want to do with him. _

_tick tock tick tock tick_


	9. That Boy, The Pest, My Brother

**Time to raise the stakes. Time is wasting! Charlie better hurry up or he's not gonna make it! Haha.**

**Next piece. Read and **_**review.**_^^

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9

Charlie had failed. At least that was how he saw it in his eyes. He had not died. He had not been killed or paralyzed or even harmed any more than the scrapes and throbbing shoulder but he had really and truly failed. His time was running down. His entire detour through the furnace tunnel was for not. His tug of war with the electromagnets was pointless because he was here now, sitting in a cell with his back against a wall, watching his clock tick down minutes and then hours and then an entire day. His stomach was empty and his body weak, eyes peeking through a fog hopelessly and broken well past mending.

He was losing. He had lost. Defeated. And because of his minor flaw, because of his burst of confidence at the last moment and the fatal mistake of running headstrong into the most guarded facility in the world, his brother was going to get the chewed end.

His brother was going to die and he was only able to sit there and feel sorry for himself. He had already tried to blast his way out of the cell which had only gotten his gauntlet taken from him by the guard watching his cell and he had already tried begging. Nothing was working. He was not getting out of there. Aaron Stone truly felt like a prisoner. It was strange watching everything from the other end where his enemies were the ones doing the right thing. He was just a criminal. He was the thief who had been foiled by the just and right. He should have known better. The good guys always won. Just because he was a good guy pretending to be the bad guy didn't change the4 fact that he was currently on the opposite side of the playing field and dressed prudently in black. He deserved this. But his brother didn't.

"You don't understand." He called weakly for the hundredth time since they had dragged him into the steel barred cell and thrown him against the stone floor.

The guard at the door didn't even flinch. Didn't look his way. Didn't care.

Charlie tilted his head back against the wall. He wished he had never even tried to come this far. He had been doomed for failure from the very beginning. He wasn't cut out for a criminal's job. All he wanted was to be with his brother for his last few moments. All he wanted was to sit with Jason in his last hours and just be Charlie Landers for a while and not some lame hero who couldn't even rescue a single very ill teenage boy. He wasn't a hero. He was just helpless Charlie who was about to become an only child.

He leaned over, knees pressed against his face and hiding his eyes. He looked very much like a kid right then where he sat, shoulders trembling slightly. He had no weapons. He had nothing. He had no hope and in eight and a half hours, the only thing he would have is one extra bedroom in his house.

He wondered if Jason was hurting. He wondered if he was thinking about him, wondering when he would come with the antidote that didn't even exist at this point. Thinking and hoping in that optimistic way he was that his big brother would pull through for him like he had time and time again. He pictured him smiling although he was pretty certain his brother was not. He imagined him with that spark in his eyes after he had broken his guitar or the different one when he had taken that embarrassing picture of Charlie to post on Buddy Verse. Those eyes that would never see again. That smile that Charlie would never see peeking out at him when Jason was trying to stay angry with him but just couldn't help but forgive. Jason was like that. He forgave and he trusted and he grinned and he laughed like every day was a great thing. Sure, these things came along with enough complaining to turn their house over a few times and give their mother one killer headache but underneath the whining was that happy little boy who Charlie had looked out for since their dad had left. It was that same kid who Charlie had picked up the first time he had tripped at the park and who he had given the last bowl of lucky charms to when he caught the fever. It was that annoying pest who had accidentally erased his gamer file when they were still in elementary school and the one he had sat with and given advice how to get a date to the freshman sophomore homecoming dance, all advice which had been ignored. And soon, it would be the boy who's heart stopped in his chest and the boy who broke Charlie's.

Jason was the best little brother Charlie could ever ask for and he was not about to sit there and let him die.

He shifted to stand and something hard and sharp slid down the back of his shirt, clattering on the ground. He glanced at it with confusion at first and then relief and awe. He had hit some luck, and now he had a plan.

_Hang in there baby bro. I'll be there soon as I can._

It must have been another hour before the doors to the room the guard stood in opened and a rather stiff confident looking man walked in. Charlie didn't know. He didn't dare look at his watch for fear of what he might see there. He couldn't get distracted. He had one shot to do this right or it wouldn't work at all. It was worth a shot though. Anything was better than sitting there.

The man smiled and Charlie scowled back, standing up and pacing to the other side of his cell curiously and cautiously as the man cleared his throat to speak.

"Hello my little thief." He said in a voice much too high pitched for such a round and overly large body. Five Sausage like fingers patted down a single tuff of hair on his egg shaped head, combing it to the side as if to hide the fact that he was clearly balding underneath. "Or I suppose you are not a thief considering you have not managed to steal anything."

Charlie swallowed, moving to the opposite side of his cell again, unable to keep still. His face was set in stone, watching if not glaring daggers at the man as he reached into his suit and pulled from his inner pocket, a small vial filled with what looked like raspberry Gatorade. "Is this little thing what you were looking for?" He asked with a slight raise of his eyebrows. "You are just a boy. Certainly you have no clue how precious IC12 is to me and my studies here at the lab. You know that this vial is currently the only one in existence? Would be a shame if you went out and wasted it considering the power packed into this tiny little thing. So much research to be done and you wanted to take it from us, from the world. Knowledge is a precious thing."

"Not more precious than life, sir." Charlie hissed back.

The man didn't seem to notice, going on like Charlie had said nothing at all.

"It is a wonder how you even got inside here. You are the youngest so far, indeed. Quite a shame but you did make it interesting. For a moment I thought that man Necros had sent more of his slave men to do his work. I was so surprised in finding a child. What are you…sixteen? Seventeen? And that ship they found a little ways down the hill…" He whistled, slightly impressed. "What is a little rug rat like you doing with such advanced equipment?"

Charlie swallowed his words and stayed quiet. It was better this way.

"And who might you be, little boy? I like to know the names of the people I capture before I send them down to be…disposed of."

Charlie swallowed hard, finger touching his pocket softly. "I'm an agent sent from…the government." He lied softly. "Apparently what you are doing here is not under the regulation of this state. They wanted me to come see what was going on for myself."

The man's face turned red and his squinty eyes widened a little. "They know about us?" He shook his head, a turkey neck wobbling lightly. "You are lying, boy. You should respect me more. I can make this harder than you think possible. Now tell me the truth. Who are you and why were you after the IC12?"

Charlie nearly smiled but held it back, keeping his face set as he went on. "There is nothing more painful than what I am already going through." He mumbled. The man didn't hear him so he cleared his throat and started again. "I am not lying, sir. I was sent all the way here to scope the place out. The IC12 is something I had no knowledge of till just now." He leaned closer to the bars. "Now let's get something straight. You will release me and I will not have you charged for harassment and assault. More men are on their way now. They will be wondering why I haven't arrived yet."

If the man had been red before, his face went a slightly less natural shade of purple when Charlie spoke and his nostrils flared slightly. "You lie. What proof do you have?"

"I have my papers." Charlie said, touching his pocket again as he pulled out the folded up message from Necros. "Here's my ID. See for yourself." He said, careful not to show the man what it actually was.

The man, clearly a bit flustered, handed the vial he still held to the guard next to him and strode forward. He reached for the paper, careful not to get too close to the bars. When his fingers had nearly grasped it, Charlie let it slide from his hand and land on the floor at his feet. "Woops." Charlie murmured as the man gave him a glare that said he didn't want any funny business. He glanced to make sure the guard had his gun aimed at Charlie before he leaned to pick it up.

In the same moment, Charlie's arms shot through the bar and grasped the man by the front of his suit, yanking him hard against the bars at the same moment as he pulled something jagged and hard from his belt. The stone that had caught in his shirt in the tunnel sharpened to a point as he held it firmly against the man's throat, grasp unyielding on his neck.

The guard blinked where he stood. He had fired a single shot in the time it had taken for Charlie to grab the man captive and it had cascaded off the metal bars of the cell, bouncing harmlessly away.

The round man struggled in a panic against Charlie's grasp but Charlie was not letting go for anything. He pressed the handmade blade harder to the man's throat and he went silent.

"Listen to me…" Charlie said in a voice that could not have been his own on any other day. "You are going to unlock this cell. DO not make any noise." Charlie explained as he pressed on the rock, getting a whimper from the fat man who ran the place.

The guard across the room fumbled nervously for his keys but waited instruction from his boss. The trembling man in Charlie's arms jerked his head slightly. "What are you waiting for, you blundering idiot! Do what he says!"

The man was shaking so horribly that Charlie could feel the chatter of his teeth in his skull, sweat breaking out along his hostage's forehead. This was all so strange to Charlie and he felt as if he were watching it from someone else's eyes. He had never done this before. He had never taken any hostages. He had never held the cold side of a blade to anyone's throat. He had never threatened an innocent life. The IC12 rightfully belonged to this man. Charlie just needed it for his own gain.

The guard got the cell unlocked and Charlie walked out very carefully, never letting go of the fat man. With one arm, he held the stone against the man's jugular. With the other he held out his hand to the guard. "Give me the vial." He ordered. His hostage sobbed slightly but Charlie shut him out as the guard handed over the IC12. Charlie squeezed it tight in his palm. He had it. This was the thing that would save his brother. He had it in his hand. All he had to do was get it back to Necros in time. "His arm trembled at the victorious thoughts rushing through his head. He had done it. He had done it. It was done…nearly.

"Now, I want you to take me to my ship. If you alert anyone, I will kill him." Charlie said softly.

"Sir!" The guard protested.

"Just do it!" The man called. "Can't you bloody see? I've got a wife at home who needs my head to be _connected_ to my shoulders, _thank you very much_!"

Charlie's guilt level rose horribly. He was threatening a life. Not only a life but a life who had a family like himself. Jason laying with his throat slit flashed in his head from yesterday's dream. That seemed so far away yet it was so fresh. All that blood leaking out around him and those staring eyes, the feeling that he would never be happy again, he was doing it all.

But it was something he was willing to do for his brother's sake. He knew he wouldn't be able to force his hand on the man and kill him but he would threaten and the fear in the man's eyes was enough.

Charlie followed the guard down a hallway and then another hall. The guard led him to a large garage on the first level where his ship sat by the open hanger doors. There were many men swarming around it, prodding it and trying to figure out how it worked. When Charlie, the guard and the hostage walked in, they all froze, a roar of shouts and questions breaking the air like shattered glass. All who carried guns raised them.

"Stop!" The man in Charlie's grasp called. "Just let him go! Let him go!" he ordered. "He's mad!"

Very carefully, Charlie walked backwards towards his hip. He was so close he could taste it, could feel it. And then he could. His back bumping against the cool door of his ship and a smile lit his face. Mixed with the essence of pain in what he had done making him look less happy and more like the mad man his hostage had called him to be.

He slid backwards into his seat, keeping the stone tight against the fat man. "Thank you." Charlie said as he shoved the man down onto the ground and shut the door hard before the bullets began to fire. They clanged off the metal doors harmlessly. "And sorry!" Charlie called as he started the ship and took off to the sky.

Behind him, the sound of panic and rage died down to nothing but a whisper and that whisper died into the calming sound of air brushing by the belly of the ship. Charlie touched his pocket softly, the IC12 assuring against his side. He was on his way with seven hours to spare.

_Assuming it was even that much._

_

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_Only two chapters left. I'm thinking the story will be finished tomorrow but I'm not sure. I've got a basketball game to go to tomorrow night with my friends and I don't know when I'll be on to post. Keep an eye open…or maybe two and ill try to get one up._

_I know, I chose a sucky time to tell you I might not get time to post. Haha. It's worth it though. Last two chapies! =D_


	10. Breaking Our Agreement

**Hey guys, here's the chapter I said I wouldn't get up. Its super late where I live but I wrote this during school and am just getting it up now. I couldn't wait. I was just so excited.**

**Enjoy and _Review!_**^^

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10

It took Charlie two very precious and very important hours to reach Necros' rendezvous site. It seemed that even in his closeness to death, he wasn't willing to give up the location of his lab. It was a smart move on his part. Just because they were currently working for the same goal on this one thing didn't make them a team. The moment Jason was back on his feet, Charlie would be back on Necros with more fury and determination than ever. It had not slipped his mind that the only reason Jason was in the danger he was in was because of Necros and his God awful plan. It had been a God awful plan that had ended up working though considering. Charlie had come with the perfect amount of time to save his enemies life. And after he saved it, he would want to life right back. There was no way his brother would come out of this unavenged. Charlie had never let the bullies at school get away with messing with his brother and Necros was no different. In fact, Charlie wondered if there was anything short of death that would be enough payment to get back at the scientist for all the pain he had caused Jase.

He arrived at the intersection of four roads somewhere in in the middle of what Charlie could only describe as being nowhere. Tall grass spread on all four corners formed by the crossroads. Far in the north, a train whistle blew and the grass trembled as it passed and once again left Charlie in the silence.

When he had first gotten a hold of the IC12 he had been relieved. He had finally saved Jason. Standing alone in the nighttime, eyeing the wrist watch counting down another twenty minutes, he was hit by the fact that he was cutting this all painfully close. He had four hours and forty minutes to meet Necros, assemble the antidote and fly back home in time to save his baby brother. His nerves, if not completely shut down due to the recent abuse thrashing them about, were quickly beginning to fry.

"You made it. I was beginning to think...you had failed me."

Charlie turned as two figures emerged from a crossroad. Off in the distance he could see a black car with it's light still lit, engine running. He had not even heard it roll up.

"Cutting it rather close...Charlie."

Charlie was unnerved by the weakness of Necros' voice in the darkness. When he was wheeled into Charlie's line of view, body slumped lifelessly in his wheel chair. All visible skin was mottled with the white rash from before yet it seemed much clearer now against his skin the color of death itself. He could only think of his brother. Had it gotten this bad back at home? He wondered how Emma was doing.

"So you have…the final ingredient?" He rasped, his voice the sound of ice going through a blender. Every word was forced and his body seemed to tense every few moments as if he was in pain but had no energy to express such things.

Charlie pulled the vial from his belt, holding it out to the man graciously. He would stir it all up and Charlie would be off. Everything would be finished soon enough. His fingers nearly trembled with anticipation as he pressed the vial into the man's hands, slightly concerned he would drop it. Necros held tight though despite the coat of sweat beading his skin and the tremor of his body. He nearly smiled when the vial passed into his hand.

"Yes. I knew…I could count of you, Aaron Stone my boy. You are quite the interesting specimen." He coughed, a rattling in his chest and it seemed that was all he would ever say again as he took a second vial from his own pocket. It was filled with a swirling purple goo that looked more like silly putty than anything. With desperate hands he uncorked the IC12 and carefully poured the contents of it into the antidote, swishing it back and forth till the bright purple had changed into a hot red color of the most heart burning of all hot sauces. "Yes."

Necros tilted his head back, pressing the vial to his whitened and slightly blue tinged lips and sucking the antidote down.

Charlie stood there with a grin on his face, relaxed and confident now and slightly smug at his job well done. It hadn't hit him till the antidote was nearly completely gone that he still needed some for his own brother.

"Stop!" Charlie cried, reaching quickly and snatching the vial away from him. It was easy considering the state Necros was in but Charlie had been late in his movements. In the vial was not even half a mouthful of the antidote. "What are you doing? I need enough for my brother!" He shouted, angered now as rage burst in his eyes. He took a step back away from Necros, shaking his head in disgust. "We had an agreement."

"We agreed that you would find me the antidote. I never agreed to give it to you." Necros said stiffly. His voice was already stronger and it had only been a few moments since he had taken the medicine.

Charlie wanted to kill him. He had never wanted so badly to murder anyone in his entire life but the burning in his gut had risen to his chest, heart pumping poison through his veins to every inch of his body. This man had killed his brother, threatened him, given him the chance to bring him back and had perhaps ruined it all with a single swallow to all Charlie's hard work. Body trembling, Charlie reached quickly for his gauntlet. He would put a single shot in the man's eye and let him taste the pain of what he was doing to Charlie. He would watch the life leave the man's eyes just like he deserved in every way shape and form. Teeth grinding, Charlie lifted his arm, angered and horrified to find he had never received his gauntlet back when he had escaped from the building in the mountains. They had taken it and he didn't have any weapons with him.

For a brief moment he was prepared to pounce on Necros. He didn't need weapons to kill. It would be an easy thing in the weak state the scientist was in. But how easy would it be for his guard to put a bullet in his spine before he had even completed the job. It wasn't worth getting killed he realized as he took a closer inspection of the antidote in his hand. There was a little left. Maybe it would be enough. He had to try.

"Necros." He breathed, jabbing a finger at the man. "I'm going to leave here right now, and I swear to God that if you ever try to hurt my family again, I will come after you and I will kill you."

Necros' eyes glinted in the darkness and a bitter sweet smile hit his face. "Was that a threat, Aaron?"

"A promise." Charlie hissed as he turned his back, heading towards the ship he had landed a few yards away.

Behind him, Necros' guard raised his gun and took aim at Charlie Landers back. Necros raised a hand to stop him. "Wait…let him go for now."

The guard tilted his head. "But sir-"

"No…" Necros repeated, still smiling as he watched the boy slide into his ship and take off towards home. "We will see him again. He has made things incredibly interesting."

"How so?" The guard asked quietly as he lowered the barrel of his gun.

"Didn't you hear his words? It seems little Aaron Stone has a bit more malevolence in him than he would like to believe. The future will be a cruel world when he wakes up to it. We just need to give him time to… develop."

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_So the final chapter will be up tomorrow. It'll be a cute little closing to all this terribleness that Charlie dragged himself through. Then there's still the fact that Jason has not received the antidote. And Stan has not had any contact with him. And what does Mr. Hall think of all this? What about Charlie's house? Sheeze, this might not fit in one chapter. I'll squeeze. haha._


	11. Aaron Stone and Charlie Landers

**Finally chapter you guys! I'm big on the whole tragedy deal so this was... you know, ill just let you read it. hahahahaha! **

**_Read and please I want to hear your final reviews_ about the entire story in and of itself if you feel so obliged. Even if all you post is a lame little "=)" to tell me you liked it. Even that is enough but words work too. **

**So here it is.**

**Final Chapter.^^**

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11

There was nothing more unnerving and emotionally unsound than a funeral. Just the morbid sense of dread that made the air nearly toxic was enough to put Charlie's nerves on end. Going to one was bad enough. Planning one was a struggle in and of itself. How would he choose the coffin? Did they come in sizes? Who did he call first? How did he tell people? Did he send invitations like some sort of deranged party favors? He didn't know the last time he had ironed his dress pants. He didn't even think he owned a black tie. Was a gray tie inappropriate to wear to such an event? Was it disrespectful to show up armed with his gauntlet and receiver just in case?

Charlie didn't know. He had never had any experience with such things. This would be his first. It would be the very first time he ever stared at the freshly unearthed dirt piled at the side of a six foot hole. A six foot hole that would end up burying all the happiness he had ever felt.

It would be his first funeral...

...if Jason had not pulled through.

"Hellooo. Earth to Charlie."

Charlie blinked, shaking his head as Emma waved her hand in front of his face. Her own concerned eyes looking into his glazed and much less focused ones. The anxiousness on her face was etched so deeply that Charlie knew not even a chisel could have broken it.

"Charlie, you're a million miles away."

Charlie nodded, voice cracking when he tried to speak. "I know. Sorry." He apologized. He didn't know why he had said sorry to her. It wasn't like he could possibly help the buzz of thoughts swimming around in his head, all competing for priority and supremacy. So much had happened in the last few hours that his brain was seriously considering walking him to the nearest chair and collapsing into it for good.

When he had gotten home, he had nearly crashed the ship directly into Emma's living room. He had been in no condition to drive and the rage and concern that burned in his gut was sure to have given him an ulcer. Two hours to spare. That was what his watch read. He had two hours remaining when he burst through her back door and bolted all the way up to her room. He had been so sure he was too late. His watch read the correct time. Nothing had changed there, but Jason was just a kid. And considering the way he ate regularly and the amount of exercise he usually got, how strong his immune system was built would always be a questionable topic.

He was in worse shape than Necros had been in. Jason's eyes were slits of glazed and faded blue, his brother's vision so far away that Charlie wondered if he was blind. His body was wracked with spasm's where it lay limp and clear of any emotions even as his chest rose and fell hysterically and unstable, fighting for breath in his dried lungs. Emma sat over him, tears filling her eyes as she shook her head and told Charlie through sobs that it had been going on for the past two hours and begging him to do something, apologizing again and again how she didn't know how to help him.

Charlie had wasted no time tilting his brother's head back softly, opening his blue lips and pouring what was left of the antidote down his throat. The affects were not immediate like they had been with Necros. In fact, it wasn't till a good fifteen minutes later that Jason stopped his unnerving twitching. and rested into a silent sleep. It had been the longest and most gruesome fifteen minutes of Charlie's life. Kneeling at his brother's side, clasping both his hands around one of Jason's as he spoke through grinding teeth that the antidote had to work. It just had to work. When Jason's body fell still, Charlie's wrist watch beeping that their time was up, he nearly passed out. Only Emma's influential statement that Jason's heart was still beating and his chest still moved with breath kept Charlie conscious. Jason was alive.

He was alive.

Charlie was still uneasy though. It was as if someone had zapped all the life out of him. He didn't know why. He had not yet spoken with Mr. Hall but Stan had said that he was only marginally angry and only had a few words for him next time they met face to face. Other than that, he had nothing more to worry about. Jason was alright and Stan had taken it upon himself to fix up their house in the two days Charlie had been gone. From disposing of the glass and tattered books to ordering identical new furniture of each and every piece that had not been salvageable- the house was immaculate and just in time for their mother to return home to it in a few days. She would never know. She would never suspect. Yet the weight drilling Charlie into the ground was killing him slowly.

"Jason's gonna be fine, Charlie. Just you wait and-"

"Hello?" A quiet voice called from Jason's bedroom, the entire place having been completely replaced in perfect order minus his mattress which, if you checked the tag, was a different brand.

Emma grinned at Charlie. "See?" She stayed put to give Charlie some time alone with his brother.

Charlie bolted into the room, nearly running over Stan who had been putting some finishing touches on the curtains in the bathroom. "Slow down, Charlie. He isn't going anywhere." Stan said. Even as he did though, a small smile hit his face. He was clearly just as relieved to have Jason back in the land of the living.

Charlie ignored the bot and pushed open his brother's room door, freezing as he looked in on his little brother. He looked much better. He had pushed himself into a right up position, up on one of his elbows and blinking at Charlie in mild confusion and blurriness, still slightly groggy from sleep. The white rash was completely gone, face a more natural color than before despite the still rather dark bags under each of his eyes. "I knew you'd come. I knew it." Eyes questioned Charlie, waiting for him to say something, anything at all. "But it sure took you long enough. Thought you were trying to get rid of me." Jason added to the silence. His voice slightly bitter yet was brimming underneath with release and contentment to see him again. He waited for Charlie to think of words to say back, tolerant as he watched his older brother.

Charlie had no words though. His head felt light as he took several wavering steps across the room away from the door to stand at the foot of the bed. Then he was next to Jason, wrapping his arms tightly around him and embracing him with as much protection and relief as he had ever felt. He squeezed tightly till Jason's ribs creaked with protest and his brother grunted to him that he was crushing him. Even then, Charlie held on tight, a hand against the back of his brother's head, fingers that rested on his neck reassured in the fact that the skin there was a more natural warm feeling and not the icy coldness that had existed before. He breathed in deeply. It was the scent of his brother. That familiar tinge of the cheap shampoo their mother bought them. Charlie's cologne he had loaded on the other day without permission. It was all there. He was all there.

"Charlie..." Jason murmured, a hand going round to return the hug. He didn't say anything else, waiting till Charlie had let him go, holding him at arm length to look at him clearer. "Must have given you some scare." Jason said with a dry and humorless laugh. "I know it freaked _me _out." He hesitated, head turning away slightly as he continued to say. "Would have been a lot less freaky if I had actually _known_ what was going on."

Charlie's brow furrowed. So that was what all this bitterness was about. He was upset about the whole keeping Aaron a secret thing. Emma had told him earlier about Jason's rather resentful feelings but it had slipped Charlie's mind. He had thought Jason would have forgotten about being angry by now anyways. It seemed that was not the case.

"Dude, why would you keep something like this from me?" Jason said quickly, eyes hurt and angry.

"Jason, please. I was just trying to-"

"To what? Protect me? Fine. That's all good and dandy but _what about you_?"

Charlie was confused at his brother's words so he stayed silent and waited for him to go on.

"Dude, you're out there kicking butt, fighting all these guys and saving the world every day and you can't even trust me enough to tell me. Your own brother, man."

"I do trust you." Charlie defended himself quickly. He didn't want to argue with him right now. He just wanted to talk with him. He had just gotten him back and fighting was the last thing he wanted. He would take it though. Jason could be as angry as he wanted at him. It didn't matter. As long as he was alive while he did it, he could be as angry and hateful as he wanted. He could never talk to Charlie again and Charlie would be just as glad although he much rather preferred they just get along and go on like they used to. "But these guys I fight aren't like the video games, Jase. You don't know how dangerous they are."

Jason scowled. "Exactly, man. You just said it yourself. They're dangerous. So what if something happened to you, hm? What if you went out one day and you didn't come back? What then, Charlie? You'd be gone and I wouldn't have a freakin' clue where you ever went! You'd leave me completely in the dark just like-"

Jase cut himself off. He had been about to say just like dad. Charlie knew it. Just like that man who loved them so much and then suddenly stopped coming by. It killed Jason when it happened. They had both been so little at the time. Charlie still remembered his face at night sometimes when he knocked on Charlie's door and asked if he could sit with him for a while. Whispering to Charlie not to tell mom that he was still awake and out of bed. And Charlie had let him, because they were brothers and they looked out for each other. That and Charlie had understood the feeling of being left behind. He understood what it was like to love someone so much and then suddenly they were gone.

"Charlie, you're so selfish." Jason whispered. "You ass, you should have told me."

Charlie knew where his brother was coming from. He wasn't so angry that Charlie had kept it a secret. It was more the fact that if something bad happened, Jase would never have known. It scared him although Jason would never admit to this. He was scared.

"Jason…I promise that nothing bad is gonna happen. I won't let it."

Jason's face was still troubled and he shook his head. "How do you know?" It seemed he was a lot more calm now that he had gotten out what he had to say and his anger was dieing back down nice and easy like it always did.

"Because…" Charlie said with a little shrug. "Because I'm Aaron Stone. And the good guys always win."

"Yeah, well that's completely mental." Jason rolled his eyes but he was clearly trying to hide a smile and Charlie knew he was forgiven. "So, _Mr. hot-shot Aaron Stone_…fill me in. What've I missed?"

Charlie Landers and Aaron Stone both smiled at their brother. It was a long story but they had plenty of time. Years and years of it actually.

Charlie would make sure of it.

* * *

_So yeah, I am usually a tragedy writer which is kinda strange considering I hate hate hate sad endings. I just love the feel of writing it though. How many of you were thrown off by my beginning funeral talk? Yeah. I had to. Couldn't resist to pull a few legs. Sorry for that. DON'T HURT ME!_

_So there we have it. I have to say I am** super upset** that it's over. I'm gonna be depressed now. It was a fun story to write and all of you reading it were **wonderful in every way** if it was **criticism** or **opinions** or **praise.** You are a spectacular audience and I feel **highly appreciative**. Thank you all so much for reading it! Hope I get more people as the episodes or Aaron Stone go on and more people search out the fanfictions. _

_**Thank you** again and again. May not be my last Aaron Stone Piece of work. My other ones will probably end up being shorter of one shots though. _

_Lotsa **luv** from me. Keep reading. Keep your eyes open later for some of my other stories. **And goodnight! **_


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